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Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: Campus

Media Credit: www.slcc.edu Haley Holmstead

Salt Lake Community College student, women's basketball player, and high scorer Haley Holmstead, who recently earned National Player of the Week, expresses her excitement by saying, "It means a lot. It puts a smile on your face."

Holmstead understands that, because of team effort, she was able to accomplish what she did.

"It's fun, but I couldn't have done it without my coaches or my teammates. It's a blessing to come here every day, to practice with girls that just make me better, and coaches that know what they're talking about. I couldn't have done it without them and all the people that help me."

Becky Specketer, head coach of the women's basketball team and Holmstead's mentor, elaborates on Holmstead earning the award.

"It's our first time we've ever had it in our program. It's really quite a big deal," said Specketer, "It's remarkable when you consider all of the programs in the nation and all the players in all the programs in the nation, to be singled out as the player of the week, that's pretty high honor."

Coach Specketer also explained, "It's a huge individual honor, but it's because our team is as big as it is, she was able to achieve that."

Throughout the season, Holmstead has been averaging nearly 23 points per game (ppg). According to coach Specketer, "Haley's role is to score, and she does that quite well, and I think she would be one that would say that's her responsibility, but without her teammates, it would be a tough job."

During her senior year at American Fork High School, Holmstead earned Utah's Gatorade Player of the Year award. "It was Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, not national, but it's just an award for girl's basketball.  They give it to just one girl for that year. It's a fun award to have, to get."

Holmstead revealed why she decided to pick up the game of basketball. "I thought it'd be fun. I always played at recess with all the guys, and so I just kept playing."

Holmstead also described basketball's influence on her as a child. "I didn't start playing basketball till seventh grade, so I was really shy when I was young and I was really afraid to play in front of people," said Holmstead, "so I didn't want to get on a team or anything. I just started off by going to camps, and I got put on a team that wasn't very good at all. And then I got put on another team, and we were pretty good. We went to all the tournaments, we always took first place, and it was fun."

When questioned on whether or not certain colleges were looking at her as a possible recruit, Holmstead paused and said, "I don't really know. I'm just trying not to worry about that right now. In high school, my dream was always to go to Utah (University of Utah), but maybe. We'll just see what happens."

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